TWI879470B - Treated cellulose-comprising starting material, method of using treated cellulose-comprising starting material, and cellulosic molded body - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for providing a treated cellulose-containing starting material (110), in particular a starting material for forming, in particular regenerated, cellulose-based shaped bodies (102), is described. The method comprises the following steps: i) feeding a cellulose-containing starting material (101) which has cellulose-based fibers, and treating (20) the cellulose-containing starting material (101) to obtain a treated cellulose-containing starting material (110) such that the cellulose fibers of the treated cellulose-containing starting material (110) have a predetermined fiber length distribution. Also described are a method for producing a cellulose-based shaped body (102), a processed starting material (110) containing cellulose, and the use of old textiles.

Description

Treated initial substance containing cellulose, method for using treated initial substance containing cellulose and cellulose-type shaped body

The invention relates to a method for providing a treated cellulose-containing starting substance, in particular a starting substance for forming a cellulose-containing shaped body. The invention further relates to a method for producing a (regenerated) cellulose-containing shaped body from a treated cellulose-containing starting substance. The invention further relates to a treated cellulose-containing starting substance. In addition, the invention relates to the use of treated used textiles for producing cellulose-containing shaped bodies. The invention particularly relates to a treated cellulose-containing starting substance having a predetermined fiber length distribution.

The invention may therefore relate to the technical field of providing treated cellulose-containing starting substances. The invention may in particular relate to the technical field of producing (regenerated) cellulose-based shaped bodies from treated cellulose-containing starting substances. Furthermore, the invention may relate to the technical field of recycling solids, in particular old textiles.

A processed initial substance containing cellulose (e.g. pulp) can be used as a base material for the production of cellulose-based shaped bodies. These shaped bodies can be, for example, fibers (e.g. soluble fibers or viscose fibers) or also pulp materials. For this purpose, the initial substance containing cellulose is first processed. This initial substance can be, for example, wood, old paper or old textiles. The processing can include mechanical and/or chemical separation of the components of the initial substance. The processed initial substance (e.g. pulp) can then consist of fibers, which can be fed into a further production method. The slurry can thus be fed via pumps and valves, for example as a suspension, to a subsequent process, for example the production of a spinning mass (for the viscose fiber process and/or the soluble fiber process).

But now problems can occur, which are primarily due to the length of the fibers. In the case of old textiles as starting material, the old textiles have, in addition to cellulose fibers, which are mostly in the form of cotton fibers, also synthetic fibers such as polyester. While virgin cotton has a fiber length of about 40 mm, polyester is produced as a continuous monofilament and is then cut into staple fibers with adjustable fiber lengths. Due to these particularly long (cellulose) fibers, blockages can occur during the processing process in the units (plants) used at the time. On the other hand, if these fibers are too short, large amounts of dust can be generated. At the same time, very short fibers also have a large surface area and can therefore be difficult to dewater after they have absorbed a liquid medium once. In addition, short fibers can also be inadvertently separated, which can lead to material loss and environmental pollution.

If the fibers are too long, so-called "tangles" may occur, in particular, whereby fiber balls may occur when the fibers become entangled with one another. This may occur in particular in constrictions or dead spaces in pipelines, but may also occur in pumps or valves. These fiber balls may lead to blockages in the conduits during production processes (e.g., soluble fiber methods), which in turn is associated with high manual cleaning costs. When the fibers are used further (e.g., as a spinning material for the production of soluble fibers), it may also occur that if the fibers are too long, they do not completely dissolve within the given reaction time, which results in significantly increased filtration costs for the spinning material. Correspondingly, production costs have increased significantly, while the quality of the products produced has decreased.

In contrast, fibers that are too short have too large a surface area, so that they are difficult to dewater and thus the solvent cannot be removed efficiently. In addition, particularly short fibers or particularly small fiber particles (fines) can be washed out with the waste water during processing. This can result in significant material losses. In addition, this can also result in increased waste water contamination with fiber waste. Correspondingly, conventional solutions are also associated with additional high production costs (especially due to material losses), and there is also a less resource-saving and less environmentally friendly type of production.

The object of the present invention is to provide a processed starting material containing cellulose (e.g. for the production of (regenerated) cellulose-based shaped bodies) in an efficient, robust and resource-saving manner.

This goal is achieved with independent request items for the subject. A better design is achieved with dependent request items.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method for providing a processed cellulose-containing starting material (especially a starting material for forming (further especially regenerated) cellulose-type shaped bodies) is described. The method has the following steps: i) feeding (especially pre-sorting and/or comminuting) a cellulose-containing starting material (such as old textiles, old paper, wood), which has cellulose-type fibers, and ii) treating (including, for example, comminuting, cooking, singulating, shortening the fibers, selectively separating the fibers) the cellulose-containing starting material to obtain a processed cellulose-containing starting material (such as pulp), so that the cellulose fibers of the processed cellulose-containing starting material have a predetermined fiber length distribution.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing (especially regenerated) cellulose-based shaped bodies is described. The method comprises the following steps: i) providing a treated starting substance with cellulose as described above, and ii) forming the cellulose-based shaped body from the treated starting substance with cellulose (for example by means of a soluble fiber method or a viscose fiber method).

According to another aspect of the invention, a processed starting substance containing cellulose is described for producing a cellulose-based shaped body. The processed starting substance containing cellulose has a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

According to another aspect of the invention, the use of treated old textiles for producing cellulose-based shaped bodies is described, these old textiles having a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

In the context of this text, the term "cellulose" is understood to mean, in particular, organic compounds which are components of plant cell walls or which can be produced synthetically. Cellulose is a polysaccharide (i.e., a polysaccharide). Cellulose is unbranched and typically has several hundred to several tens of thousands of β-D-glucose molecules (β-1,4-glucose bonds) or cellulose disaccharide units. Cellulose fibers are constructed from cellulose molecules in a manner controlled by the plant. Cellulose molecules can be accumulated by the process to form regenerated fibers, for example as tear-resistant fibers.

In the scope of this article, the term "formed body" can be understood in particular as a two-dimensional or three-dimensional geometric body, which is the result of a method for manufacturing or re-obtaining cellulose. The formed body can be understood in particular as a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object having cellulose or composed of cellulose and made from dissolved pulp. The formed body can be in particular a soluble fiber formed body, a viscose fiber formed body, a modal fiber formed body or a paper formed body (pulp material). Typical formed bodies are monofilaments, fibers, sponges and/or films. In theory, all types of cellulose formed bodies are suitable for embodiments of the present invention. Here, annular monofilaments with conventional sizes (e.g., 38 mm length) and cut staple fibers and short fibers can all be understood as fibers. Methods using a drawing device after one or more extrusion nozzles as well as other methods such as melt blowing methods are conceivable for producing fibers. Instead of fibers, films with cellulose can also be produced as shaped bodies, i.e. flat and essentially uniform films with or formed from cellulose. The films can be produced in particular in such a way that by adjusting the process parameters of the soluble fiber method, solidification is at least partially triggered only after the appearance of the filaments on the receiving surface. Films can be understood as planar cellulose shaped bodies, the thickness of which can be adjusted (for example by selecting the number of nozzle rows arranged in succession). Other embodiments of the shaped body are fabrics and felts formed from cellulose filaments or cellulose fibers, in particular spunbond nonwovens formed from substantially continuous cellulose filaments that are melted ("merging") together ("melt blowing"). Here, a fabric is particularly understood to be a planar structure woven from at least two (preferably at right angles or nearly right angles) intersecting yarn systems (or fiber systems), wherein the yarns (or fibers) in the longitudinal direction can be referred to as warp yarns and the yarns (or fibers) in the transverse direction can be referred to as weft yarns. Felt or nonwoven fabrics can be described as random structures (especially in entangled layers) formed from finite-length filaments or fibers or cut threads, which are combined into fiber layers or fiber piles and are connected to each other (especially with a friction fit). The shapes can also be created in the form of spheres. It is also possible to provide particles with cellulose, especially as beads (i.e. granules or pellets) or flakes as shaped bodies, which can be further processed in this shape. Possible cellulose shaped bodies also have granular structures, such as granules, spherical powders or fibrils. The shaping of the shaped body is preferably carried out by extruding a cellulose-containing spinning solution through an extrusion nozzle, since in this way a large number of cellulose shaped bodies can be produced with a very uniform shape. Another possible cellulose shaped body is a sponge or more generally a porous shaped body. The shaped bodies described can be used, according to exemplary embodiments, for example, to produce filaments, textiles, gels, paper, paperboard, filter paper or composite materials.

啉-N-氧化物(NMMO)和/或離子液體，即由陽離子和陰離子構成的低熔融鹽)。該溶解尤其可以藉由除水進行和/或在沒有化學改性的情況下進行。所獲得的溶劑(也可以稱為原液(Dope)或紡絲溶液)在溶解性纖維方法中隨後可以被擠壓穿過一個或多個紡絲噴頭。由此形成的單絲可以在其穿過含水的浴中(尤其在具有水性NMMO溶液的浴中)的氣隙的自由或受控的沈降期間和/或之後和/或藉由位於氣隙中的水分沈澱。 In the context of this document, the term "soluble fiber process" is to be understood in particular as a process for producing cellulose according to the direct solvent process. For the soluble fiber process, cellulose can be obtained from a starting substance which contains such cellulose. This starting substance can be dissolved in a suitable solvent (in particular with a tertiary amine oxide, such as N-methyl

In the process of preparing the filaments, the present invention relates to a process for preparing the filaments of the present invention. The filaments are prepared by dissolving the filaments in a solution of water (e.g., a quartz-N-oxide (NMMO) and/or an ionic liquid, i.e. a low melting salt composed of cations and anions). The dissolution can be carried out in particular by removing water and/or without chemical modification. The obtained solvent (which can also be referred to as dope or spinning solution) can then be extruded through one or more spinning nozzles in a soluble fiber process. The filaments thus formed can be precipitated during and/or after their free or controlled sedimentation through the air gap in an aqueous bath (in particular in a bath with an aqueous NMMO solution) and/or by means of water present in the air gap.

啉-N-氧化物(NMMO)(一種溶劑)中、過濾並且隨後擠壓穿過紡絲噴頭。如此成形的單絲在穿過具有水性NMMO溶液的浴中的氣隙時沈澱並且隨後例如被切割成截短纖維。 Lyocell refers to a type of regenerated fiber with cellulose produced according to the direct solvent process. Cellulose is extracted from raw materials (e.g. wood, old textiles, ...) for the lyocell process. The pulp thus obtained can then be dissolved in N-methylolpropane by removing water without chemical modification.

In the invention, the monofilaments are prepared by mixing the monofilaments with morphine-N-oxide (NMMO), a solvent, filtering and then extruding through a spinning nozzle. The monofilaments thus formed are precipitated while passing through an air gap in a bath with an aqueous NMMO solution and are then, for example, cut into short fibers.

In the context of this text, the term "viscosity fiber process" is to be understood in particular as a process for producing cellulose according to a wet spinning process. For the viscose fiber process, the cellulose can be obtained from a starting material containing such cellulose, in particular wood or wood pulp.

Within the scope of this document, the term "viscosity fiber process" is to be understood as a xanthate process. In a viscose fiber process carried out as a xanthate process, in successive process stages, the starting material can first be treated with a base, for example with caustic sodium, thereby forming an alkaline cellulose. When this alkaline cellulose is subsequently reacted with carbon disulfide, a cellulose xanthate is formed. From this, a viscose fiber spinning solution can be produced by further adding a base, in particular caustic sodium, which can be extruded through one or more spinning nozzles. Viscosity fiber filaments are produced by coagulation in a spinning bath. The viscose fiber filaments produced in this way are then cut, for example, into viscose fiber staple fibers.

Within the scope of this article, the term "viscosity fiber process" is also understood to mean the urethane process, in which ammonia is used instead of carbon disulfide to produce soluble cellulose derivatives. Here, instead of cellulose xanthate, so-called cellulose urethanes are produced. Analogously to the continued use of cellulose xanthate, a spinnable solution is produced from the cellulose urethane, from which cellulose filaments can be regenerated in a spinning bath after extrusion through one or more spinning nozzles.

Furthermore, within the scope of this document, the term "viscosity fiber process" is also understood to mean a cold alkaline process, in which the cellulose is dissolved in a tempered, in particular cooled, aqueous alkaline medium without further derivatization to xanthate or carbamate. In one embodiment, the temperature of the aqueous alkaline medium is less than 20° C., in particular also less than 5° C. In order to improve the dissolution behavior, additives such as urea, thiourea, zinc oxide, polyethylene glycol or surfactants can be mixed into the aqueous alkaline medium. After passing through one or more spinning nozzles, the cellulose filaments are regenerated again from the spinning solution containing cellulose by means of sedimentation in an acidic or alkaline spinning bath.

Viscose fibers are chemical fibers or regenerated fibers produced by means of a wet spinning process known as the viscose fiber process (especially the xanthate process, the urethane process or the cold alkali process). The starting material for the viscose fiber process is high-purity cellulose in the form of a chemical pulp.

In the context of this document, the term "residues from clothing production" is to be understood in particular as waste and/or offcuts of textiles or threads containing cellulose or consisting of cellulose, wherein these residues arise during a method for producing clothing. In the production of clothing, for example, a textile containing cellulose is produced as a starting material, from which flat parts (for example in the form of T-shirt halves) are then cut. Residues that can be fed again into a method for producing shaped bodies containing cellulose are retained according to an exemplary embodiment. That is, the residues from clothing manufacturing can be an initial substance containing cellulose or consisting of cellulose, which can be used to obtain cellulose again, and the consumer then uses the residues as clothing or in other ways. The residues from clothing manufacturing can especially consist of essentially pure cellulose, especially in the absence of separated and cellulose-free shaped bodies (such as buttons, textile prints or sewing threads).

In the context of this document, the term "old clothing" may be understood in particular as a single piece of clothing or home textile product (e.g. bedding) containing cellulose, which has been used (in particular worn) by a consumer while recovering at least a portion of the cellulose. That is, the old clothing may be a starting substance containing cellulose, which may (but does not necessarily) have a significant amount of foreign matter and which can be used to obtain cellulose again after the consumer has used the old clothing as clothing or in some other way. Used clothing can consist in particular of a mixture of cellulose and one or more foreign substances, in particular synthetic plastics (such as polyester and/or elastane) (often used in particular in the case of single-piece clothing) and/or separate shaped bodies (such as buttons, textile prints or sewing threads) without cellulose. Polyesters are understood in particular to be polymers having ester functions (R-[-CO-O-]-R) in their main chain. Polyesters include polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate. Elastanes are understood in particular to be stretchable chemical fibers with high elasticity. Block copolymers based on elastanes can contain a mass proportion of at least 85% polyurethane.

In the scope of this article, the term "old textiles" can be understood as "old clothing" and "residues of clothing manufacturing".

In the scope of this article, the term "textiles" can be understood as "new textiles" as well as "old clothing" and "residues of clothing manufacturing".

The term "new textiles" includes textile raw materials (natural fibers, chemical fibers) and non-textile raw materials that have been processed into linear, planar or three-dimensional products by one or more methods. The term "new textiles" can be covered by the term "waste from clothing manufacturing" and can also be called finished products (such as clothing, bedding), the latter of which have not been used/worn by users. In one embodiment, a distinction is made between old textiles and new textiles. In another embodiment, the term old textiles can also include these new textiles (unused finished textile products can also be understood as old textiles or clothing waste).

In the context of this document, the term "papermaking" is understood in particular to mean the formation of cellulose-based shaped bodies from a cellulose-containing and treated starting substance to form a pulp material. In this context, a "pulp material" is understood to mean a paper starting substance from which paper products such as paper, paperboard, filter paper, etc. can then be formed. The pulp material can be a composite material comprising at least pulp (cellulose) and a binder. The "pulp material" can also include paper or paper-like materials as well as paperboard, filter paper materials, insulation pads, suction nonwovens (Saugvliese), fiber-reinforced flat materials, etc. The pulp material can be formed by dewatering a fiber suspension, for example on a screen. The pulp material may be a flat material (fiber nonwoven fabric) essentially composed of (cellulose) fibers. The pulp material may be further densified and dried in subsequent working steps. That is, all processing steps from a cellulose-type formed body to a pulp material may be referred to as a papermaking method. In addition, all processing steps from a cellulose-type formed body to paper or from a pulp material to a paper product may also be referred to as papermaking.

In the context of this document, the term "treatment" is understood to mean, in particular, the treatment of the starting material of the feed material in such a way that the treated starting material of the discharge material differs at least partially from the starting material of the feed material in terms of its chemical/physical properties or in terms of its material composition. The treatment process may include a step of comminuting the starting material, for example shredding old textiles. In addition, the treatment process may have the step of singulating and cutting the cellulose fibers. During the treatment process, for example, a cooking process, in particular alkaline cooking, may be carried out. In addition, for example, synthetic fibers (such as polyester) may be consumed from the cellulose (by means of cooking) during the treatment process. In addition, the treatment process may also include a mechanical separation step, such as density separation. Thus, instead of or in addition to the cooking process, synthetic fibers or other foreign substances may be removed mechanically, for example. Additionally, processing may include shortening the cellulose fibers to a predetermined fiber length distribution.

In the context of this document, the term "predetermined fiber length distribution" is to be understood in particular to mean that the length of the (cellulose) fibers in the treated starting material is essentially within a predefined (i.e. intentionally selected) range. The term "fiber length" can here relate to the length of cellulose fibers but can also relate to the length of synthetic fibers (plastics). In addition, the term "length distribution" can, for example, relate to an average value (Durchschnittswert) of the fiber lengths (in a length-weighted manner). This average value can then be within a determined or predetermined length range. Thus, for example, it can be predetermined that the length-weighted average fiber length is within the range of 0.75-2.5 mm. In addition, it can also be predetermined that a certain proportion of the fibers (e.g. a certain percentage) meets a determined length condition. It can then be predetermined, for example, that the proportion of fibers with a length of less than 0.2 mm is not permitted to be greater than 11% of the treated initial substance.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a processed starting substance with cellulose (e.g. for producing (regenerated) cellulose-based shaped bodies) is provided in a particularly efficient, resource-saving and sustainable manner, when the process conditions of the treatment are set so that the processed starting substance (e.g. pulp) has a predetermined fiber length distribution. The predetermined fiber length distribution can be set precisely in this case so that it contributes to the desired and advantageous properties of the processed starting substance. Although previously only the fiber length of the produced cellulose-based shaped bodies has been set (e.g. truncated fibers), it has surprisingly been shown that setting a precisely defined fiber length distribution already in the starting material for producing the cellulose-based shaped bodies (i.e. upstream before several processing steps) provides numerous advantages when producing cellulose-based shaped bodies from the starting material.

It can be advantageous to set a certain maximum fiber length in order to prevent the above-mentioned "knots". These fiber balls can occur when, in particular, very long fibers become entangled with one another. This can occur in particular in confined areas or dead zones in the supply system and lead to blockages there, which are then associated with a high manual cleaning effort.

On the contrary, it can be advantageous to set a certain minimum fiber length in order to avoid material losses. Particularly during cooking, washing and bleaching processes, particularly short fibers or particularly small fiber particles (fines) can be washed out with the waste water. In addition to the material losses already mentioned, this can also result in increased waste water pollution. In addition, it can be ensured that no excessive dust is generated and that the fibers present have suitable dewatering properties (i.e. not too large a surface area).

It can be particularly advantageous to set a specific average fiber length in order to ensure good accessibility and wetting of the fibers with the reaction medium during the subsequent further use of the treated starting material (e.g. as slurry in the production of spinning materials (for the viscose fiber process and/or the soluble fiber process). Fibers with a predetermined fiber length distribution can also be completely dissolved within a given reaction time (e.g. in spinning materials for the soluble fiber process), so that no additional filtering effort is incurred for the spinning material.

Further embodiments of the method, the formed body and the use will be described below.

According to one embodiment, the starting material with cellulose completely or partially comprises residues from clothing manufacturing and/or old clothing. This can bring the advantage that old textiles can be recycled in a very efficient manner.

The old textiles can each contain cellulose and, if necessary, foreign substances such as synthetic plastics and can thus be used as cellulose-containing starting substances. Thus, the old textiles can be used again as starting substances with a (preferably) predefined composition for the continuous production of (regenerated) cellulose-based shaped bodies, in particular wherein the cellulose of the regenerated shaped bodies is essentially in the form of soluble fibers, viscose fibers and/or paper fibers.

In another embodiment, pre-sorting can be upstream of the processing of the material composition of the used textile mixture. Used textiles can often be supplied in a difficult to define (inhomogeneous) mixture. Used textiles can be pre-selected by mechanical and also manual pre-sorting in order to exclude completely unusable parts, such as wool, metal foil, plastic nonwovens, etc.

According to one embodiment, residues from clothing manufacturing can be mixed with old clothing in order to provide a predefined composition. Residues from clothing manufacturing can be, for example, product waste from industry and are therefore generally identifiable and partly homogeneous. By combining these two (recycled) streams, an advantageous mixture of old textiles can be provided. Such a mixture of old textiles may be particularly suitable for the production of cellulose-based shaped bodies, for example dissolving fiber shaped bodies.

According to another embodiment, the treatment further comprises the step of singulating the initial substance with cellulose so that individual cellulose fibers are present (especially substantially only individual cellulose fibers are present). This can have the following advantages: the (complete) disintegration of the initial substance (e.g. old textiles) into individual fibers can achieve a particularly suitable provision of a predetermined fiber length distribution.

Singulation can be achieved mechanically and/or chemically. Individual methods can be used, or multiple methods can be used in combination with each other.

In one embodiment, the old textiles are comminuted in such a way that individualization of the fibers also takes place. For example, a refiner can be used to achieve individualization of the fibers. Using a refiner, primarily the cuttings, but also the old textiles can be mechanically defibrillated, wherein the fibers can also be processed mechanically.

Chemical singulation can be carried out, for example, by means of cooking (e.g. alkaline cooking). This process can also be combined with the separation of non-cellulose type fibers (e.g. synthetic fibers). Furthermore, the cooking process can also be combined with the production of cellulose fibers with short fiber lengths (by setting the process parameters accordingly).

Alternatively or additionally, the fibers in the liquid medium can be exposed to an electric field. This electric field can lead to an orientation of the fibers, thereby facilitating or enabling individualization of the fibers. In another embodiment, the starting material can be mechanically moved, for example vibrated, such that the fibers are thereby individualized.

In one embodiment it may be necessary to (substantially) completely disintegrate the old textile into individual fibers, wherein then no more pieces of fabric are present in the initial substance.

According to one exemplary embodiment, it may be necessary to completely disintegrate the fabric sheet in order to i) advantageously set the fiber length, ii) separate the different fiber types of a possible mixed fabric from one another, for example by means of mechanical methods, and iii) avoid insoluble residues in further processing (e.g. spinning material).

According to another embodiment, the process further comprises the step of shortening (especially cutting) the cellulose fibers (especially the individualized cellulose fibers) to obtain the predetermined fiber length distribution. Additionally or alternatively, the process may further comprise the step of selectively separating cellulose fibers (especially individualized cellulose fibers) that do not substantially correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution (especially too short or too long). This may have the advantage that the desired fiber length distribution may be precisely set by means of one or more controllable process steps.

In a preferred embodiment, the fibers are first singulated in order to achieve a particularly efficient setting of the desired length distribution.

According to one embodiment, the fibers are shortened to a certain length by means of cutting. Similar to shredding old textiles, for example a spade, a cutting grinder or a cutting knife can be used. The cutting is carried out in such a way that a preferred fiber length distribution is present in the treated starting material.

According to another embodiment, the fibers can be shortened with the aid of a refiner. In the simplest case of a single-disk refiner, the fiber suspension is ground in the so-called grinding gap between a fixed disk and a rotating disk. The two disks here have knives, cutting edges or similarly acting grinding bodies, which shorten the fibers. In addition to the shortening effect, the degree of fiberization of the fibers can also be set with the refiner. Other embodiments of refiners are, for example, double-disk refiners (two counter-rotating disks), double-gap refiners, ball refiners and cylindrical refiners.

The use of a refiner is carried out in such a way that a better fiber length distribution is present in the treated starting material.

According to another embodiment, the desired fiber length can be set with the aid of so-called Holland grinders. Holland grinders are a unit consisting of a groove formed as a circular path and a rotating knife roll. The fibers can be machined on the one hand by the movement of the knife roll and on the other hand by the fiber suspension in the circular path.

According to one embodiment, the shortening can also be carried out chemically. For example, the process conditions during the cooking process can be set as follows, so that the fiber length of the cellulose fibers is reduced. In this way, the overlong fibers can be shortened to the desired length.

According to one embodiment, the targeted setting of the fiber length distribution can also include (optionally) separating fibers that do not correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution. Fibers that are too short or too long can be separated from fibers with the desired fiber length in this way by means of a separation method, for example, in particular by means of slit sorting. Thus, for example, shorter cellulose fibers can be separated from longer cellulose fibers. Fibers that do not correspond to the desired fiber length distribution, in particular fibers that are too long, can then be fed back into the fiber shortening process.

According to another embodiment, the cellulose-containing starting material contains non-cellulose foreign matter (especially synthetic fibers) and the treatment further comprises the steps of: i) mechanical separation of at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter, and/or ii) chemical separation of at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter. This can have the advantage that complete consumption can be carried out using known and established methods.

According to one embodiment, the separation of these non-fibrous components from these fibrous components can be performed based on different physical properties, in particular by means of metal deposition and/or gravity deposition. Metal components (such as zippers, rivets, etc.) can be separated, for example, based on their magnetic properties. The effect of gravity on the different components can also be used for separation.

According to one embodiment, the mechanical separation can be performed based on the density difference between the non-cellulose type fibers and the cellulose type fibers. For example, materials of different densities can be separated in a centrifuge based on centrifugal forces of different strengths. After transferring the components into a liquid medium, the components can partially gather on the surface based on different densities, while other components float or sink to the bottom.

According to one embodiment, the mechanical separation can be performed based on different electrostatic properties between the non-cellulose type fibers and the cellulose type fibers. Based on the different electrostatic properties, different fibers can react in different ways to an applied electric field. This in turn allows the cellulose type fibers to be separated relative to the non-cellulose type fibers.

According to one embodiment, the mechanical separation may have the following steps: suspending the fiber components (that is, transferring them into a suspension) in a liquid medium, in particular an aqueous medium, and separating the non-cellulose type fibers from the cellulose type fibers based on different physical properties in the liquid medium (in particular different gravity properties, properties with respect to centrifugal forces, floating properties and/or electrostatic properties). This also allows the separation of different fiber components when different fibers exhibit different behaviors in the liquid medium based on their different compositions.

According to one embodiment, the liquid medium can have at least one additive, in particular a dispersant and/or a solubilizing agent, in order to enhance different physical properties. Dispersants or dispersing agents can be understood in particular as additives that enable dispersion or stable dispersion, i.e. fine dispersion of substances (e.g. fibers) in a continuous medium (e.g. liquid). Solubilizing agents can be understood in particular as additives that contribute to the swelling of substances. Swelling can be understood as a process in which substances (in particular liquids) penetrate into solids and contribute to the volume increase of the solids. When one or more such additives are added to the medium, the mismatch in the properties of the various fibers that leads to the mechanical separation of the different fibers can be increased. This increases the separation efficiency.

According to one embodiment, the chemical separation may have the steps of selectively dissolving only at least a portion of the non-cellulose type fibers or only at least a portion of the cellulose type fibers in a solvent, and separating, in particular filtering out at least a portion of the insoluble fiber components. In other words, these different fibers may be introduced into a (e.g. liquid, in particular aqueous) medium, in which only certain of these fibers, in particular selected polyester fibers, are visibly dissolved, while other fibers, in particular cellulose fibers, exhibit insoluble or poorly soluble behavior there. These insoluble or insignificantly soluble or poorly soluble fibers (especially cellulose fibers) can be filtered out or centrifuged off and can then be further processed separately from the dissolved fibers.

According to one embodiment, the mechanical separation and/or the chemical separation may have the following step: separation of synthetic fibers as non-cellulose fibers. In recycled textile materials, especially in old clothing and/or textile waste residues, non-cellulose fibers of synthetic origin are often present. As examples of such synthetic fibers, polyesters, polyamides and/or elastanes may be mentioned. They can be effectively separated from cellulose fibers using the method described herein.

According to one embodiment, the chemical separation can have the following steps: feeding an alkaline solution, especially using an oxidizing agent, especially cooking under alkaline conditions. Feeding the alkaline solution can be used in particular to decompose non-cellulose fibers, especially synthetic fibers, more especially polyester fibers. Specific polyesters can thereby be cleaved into water-soluble components, which can be separated from the cellulose fibers with the help of waste water accumulated in the process.

According to another embodiment, the non-cellulose foreign substance, in particular synthetic fibers, is at least partially contained in the initial substance. This can be advantageous, i.e., certain advantageous properties (such as stability, stretchability, elasticity, durability) can be provided in the initial substance obtained or the produced shaped body. In one embodiment, synthetic fibers (such as polyesters, but also polyurethanes, in particular elastomers, or polyamides) can be at least partially contained in the initial substance and likewise treated so that they have a further predetermined fiber length distribution. The further predetermined fiber length distribution can correspond to or differ from the predetermined fiber length distribution.

According to another embodiment, the treatment further comprises the step of carrying out a cooking process (especially when an alkaline cooking solution is used). The cooking process is especially carried out such that the cellulose fibers are singulated and/or such that the treated cellulose fibers of the initial mass of cellulose have substantially the predetermined fiber length distribution. This can provide the advantage that a robust and proven technology can be directly applied.

When sawdust is used as solid starting material, cooking after a sulphite process and/or a (prehydrolyzed) kraft paper process or sodium hydroxide can achieve solubilization of the lignin in order to separate it from the cellulose. If old textiles are used as solid starting material, synthetic plastics can be dissolved in this way in order to obtain cellulose in the purest possible form or at the desired polymer residue concentration. Cooking processes (especially with NaOH) can lead in particular to saponification of plastics such as polyesters, polyamides or polyurethanes.

According to a preferred embodiment, alkaline cooking can be carried out as follows: these fibers, especially the already enriched cellulose-type (or mainly cellulose-type) fibers, can be treated with a combination of an alkaline solution (such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) and a gaseous oxidant (such as O ₂ ) in a cooking vessel (such as an autoclave) (preferably at a pH of at least 9), specifically: a) at a temperature between 90° C. and 185° C.; b) for an incubation time of 45 minutes to 270 minutes; c) in the presence of a cellulose stabilizing additive preferably in a concentration ranging from 0.01 weight percent to 5 weight percent relative to the fed fibers. The invention relates to a process for preparing a gas stream comprising: preparing a gas stream comprising: a) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; b) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; c) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; e) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; e) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; f) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; f) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; f) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; f) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; f) a first gas stream and a second gas stream; g ...

The resulting dissolved slurry can then, for example, be subjected to a washing process.

Feeding the alkaline solution can be used in particular to decompose non-cellulose fibers, in particular synthetic fibers, more particularly polyester fibers. Specific polyesters can thereby be broken down into water-soluble components, which can be separated from the cellulose fibers with the aid of waste water accumulated in the process. In this process, for example, polyesters can be broken down into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid monomers. These are soluble in water and can be separated from the cellulose fibers by treating the waste water according to one embodiment. In this cooking process, in parallel with the polyester decomposition, a cellulose decomposition reaction can also be carried out.

By suitable selection of the process parameters, it is possible, for example, to control the cellulose decomposition according to one embodiment of the invention, thereby adjusting a certain target degree of polymerization. This can be advantageous in order to control the fiber length and thus the fiber length distribution in the starting material containing cellulose. For example, particularly short fibers can be made shorter in a targeted manner in order to be able to be separated more efficiently. In addition, in this way, fibers that are too long can be chemically shortened to a preferred length.

Several embodiments of this predetermined fiber length distribution will be described below. These embodiments can provide the above-mentioned advantages of the treated starting material and also of the manufactured shaped body.

Overview of particularly preferred predetermined fiber length distributions (all values in mm and length-weighted):

According to another embodiment, the predetermined fiber length distribution has a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

According to another embodiment, the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length of less than 0.2 mm of 11% or less, in particular 8% or less, further in particular 5% or less.

According to another embodiment, the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length in the range of 2 to 3.5 mm of 17.5% or less, in particular 12.5% or less, further in particular 10% or less.

According to another embodiment, the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length greater than 3.5 mm of 12.5% or less, in particular 9% or less, further in particular 6% or less.

According to another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of performing a subsequent process, in particular a bleaching process, after the treatment. The advantage is that other treatment processes can be connected downstream of the treatment in a flexible manner.

Subsequent processes may include, for example, certain cleaning steps or drying of the pulp material (pulp). In addition, subsequent processes may include bleaching. The latter is particularly true when pulp material is provided for the production of cellulose-based shaped bodies from the treated starting material. The process of removing or weakening undesired coloring can be called bleaching. Bleaching uses bleaching agents, which are oxidizing or reducing compounds that should be at least partially selective. For example, the bleaching agent can attack the coloring substance by destroying its chromophores. For example, oxygen, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine compounds (such as chlorine dioxide or hypochlorite) but also enzymes can be used as bleaching agents.

The bleaching may include at least one of the group consisting of: oxidative bleaching, reductive bleaching and enzyme bleaching. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bleaching may include the following steps: performing acid washing, followed by ozone bleaching, and then performing peroxide bleaching. The bleaching may remove dyes and other chemical residues in the recycled textile material.

According to another embodiment, the formation of the cellulose-based shaped body from the treated starting substance has a process selected from the group consisting of: a soluble fiber process, a viscose fiber process, a papermaking process. This can bring the advantage that a particularly efficient and proven process can be applied directly to the treated starting substance in order to produce a (regenerated) cellulose-based shaped body.

100:Device

101: Initial materials, old textiles

102: Formed body

104: Spinning solution

106: Solidified fluid

108: Cellulose Fiber

110: Initial substance

112: Water container

113: Measuring device

114: Storage Box

115: Steaming process

116:Solvent

118: Concentrator

119: Mixed unit

120: Dissolution device

122: ejector

124: Fiber production equipment

126: Open mouth

132: Fiber receiving unit

134: Post-processing unit

136: Winding device

140: Control device

180: Cleaning unit

191: Coagulation bath

193: Turning roller

195: Extraction of wire guide

200: Cellulose fiber

202: Outside the circle

204: Cellulose Fiber

206: Cellulose Fiber

208: Arc structure

210: Cavity

10: Crushing

15: Steaming process, steaming

20: Processing, processing process

30: Solitary

31: Separation steps, chemical separation

32: Separation steps, mechanical separation

40: Fiber truncated

41: Separation

50: Treatment methods

51: Chemical separation

52: Mechanical separation

56: Cleaning steps

57: Bleaching process

62: Preparation

64:Mixed

66: Purification

68: Dissolve

70: Yarn, monofilament

72: Sedimentation, settling, solidification

74: Subsequent processing

76: Usage process

80: Soluble fiber method

90: Recycle

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Figure 1] shows a flow chart of a method for providing a processed starting material having cellulose according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] shows a flow chart of a method for producing a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body from a treated initial substance containing cellulose according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[FIG. 3] shows a device for providing the treated starting material and for producing a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body from the treated starting material by means of a soluble fiber method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] shows cellulose fibers produced using the soluble fiber method.

[Figure 5] shows cellulose fibers manufactured using the viscose fiber method.

[Figure 6] shows natural cellulose fibers from cotton plants.

The same or similar parts in different drawings are provided with the same drawing reference numerals.

Fig. 1 shows a flow chart of a method for providing (see the attached figure mark 50) a treated initial substance 110 with cellulose according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. First, a cellulose-containing initial substance 101 is provided, wherein the initial substance is a mixture of old textiles (old clothing and/or residues of clothing manufacturing). The initial substance can be provided by different sources (before/after consumption) and is partly very inhomogeneous. The old textiles as initial substance 101 can also have synthetic fibers (e.g. polyester) in addition to cellulose.

The old textile mixture can be pre-sorted in order to provide a preferred composition. For example, residues (offcuts) from clothing production are very suitable, which have a generally known composition. In addition, old textiles with a known composition (for example with a very high cotton content) can be added in order to increase the cellulose content. In addition, component components with at least partially known compositions can be extracted from the initial substance 101. For example, sportswear with a particularly high polyester content can be specifically removed. In addition, a mechanical separation can be carried out, for example a density separation, in particular by means of a flotation method, in order to selectively remove polyester and/or polypropylene from the cellulose, for example. The fiber components can be suspended in a liquid (aqueous) medium. The separation of the non-cellulose fibers from the cellulose fibers is achieved based on different physical properties in the liquid medium, in particular different gravity properties, centrifugal properties, floating properties and/or electrostatic properties.

In the first feeding step, the old textile 101 is first mechanically shredded by a shredder (see box 10). This allows firstly the removal of large non-cellulose interfering substances from the initial substance 101, such as buttons, sewing threads and prints from old clothing (which were at least partially used to produce the initial substance 101).

First, the textile material is comminuted in one or more trowels and/or cutting grinders by chopping, preferably using cutting knives, thereby obtaining, for example, comminuted textile objects in a size range between 0.5×0.5 cm ² and 10×10 cm ² .

After the comminution 10, a treatment is carried out, which is indicated by the reference numeral 20 and can have a plurality of steps. The treatment 20 of the cellulose-containing starting substance 101 is carried out in particular in such a way that the cellulose fibers of the treated cellulose-containing starting substance 110 have a predetermined fiber length distribution.

Mechanical comminution 10 can also be associated at least partially with treatment 20, when the textile sheet of the starting substance 101 is thus very comminuted and thus singulated into individual fibers. The starting substance 101 can then be at least partially broken down/singulated into individual fibers by mechanical comminution 10, for example. A refiner can be used for this purpose.

The mechanically comminuted initial substance 101 is then fed to a chemical treatment process, which is an alkaline cooking 15. The cooking process 15 can achieve several purposes. Firstly, the cellulose fibers can be treated in such a way that other materials, such as synthetic fibers (e.g. polyester), are decomposed by the cooking 15. In addition, the cooking process 15 assists in the singulation of the cellulose fibers. Depending on the process conditions used, the cooking process 15 can be carried out in such a way that the fiber length distribution is influenced. Thus, for example, fibers that are too short can be further shortened in order to be able to be separated, or fibers that are too long can be shortened to the desired length.

After the comminution 10, a singulation 30 step of the comminuted used textile is carried out. This step can be carried out at least partially with the aid of the mechanical comminution 10 described. In addition, other singulation steps can be adopted. Chemical singulation 30 can be carried out, for example, (at least partially) with the aid of the above-mentioned alkaline cooking 15. In addition or supplementarily, singulation 30 can also include mechanical steps, such as vibration or combing. In addition, an electric field can be applied in order to orient the fibers (DC field in a liquid medium) or the use of UV radiation can assist the singulation 30.

In the case where the old textile of the initial substance 101 contains not only cellulose fibers but also synthetic fibers, separation steps 31, 32 are carried out. In the example implemented, these separation steps 31, 32 are carried out after singulation 30 and before the fibers are shortened 40. However, the separation steps 31, 32 can also be carried out, for example, before comminution or before singulation. By means of mechanical separation 32, synthetic fibers such as plastics are separated mechanically (for example by density separation) from cellulose fibers. By means of chemical separation 31, synthetic fibers such as polyesters are separated chemically (for example by means of alkaline cooking) from cellulose fibers. This alkaline cooking can be the same cooking used to singulate the fibers or to separate fibers of particularly short lengths15.

After the fibers have been singulated (after which the initial substance 101 with cellulose exists essentially as individual fibers), a targeted setting of the fiber length distribution (see frame 40) of the singulated cellulose fibers can be performed. To this end, the fibers are shortened to a certain length by means of cutting. Similar to the comminution 10, a trowel and/or a cutting grinder are used. The cutting is performed in such a way that a preferred fiber length distribution is present in the treated initial substance 110. The targeted setting of the fiber length distribution also includes selectively separating 41 fibers that do not correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution. Fibers that are too short or too long can in this way be separated from fibers with the desired fiber length by means of density separation (e.g. centrifugation or flotation in a suspension).

The initial substance 101 can be subjected to still further treatment steps. These treatment steps include, for example, a cleaning step (see 56) and a bleaching process (see 57). A treated initial substance containing cellulose 110 can then be provided. The corresponding purified initial substance containing cellulose 110 is then fed to a method for producing a cellulose-based shaped body 102, as shown in box 80. An example of such a method is a soluble fiber method, which will be described in detail with respect to Figures 2 and 3 (see below). The shaped body 102 obtained (for example as a fiber in a soluble fiber textile) can be recycled again after use (shown with reference numeral 90) and added back to the initial substance containing cellulose 101.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart 80 of a method for producing a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body 102 (see FIG. 3 ) from a processed starting material 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The processing process provides the initial substance 110 (see FIG. 1 , see box 50). As shown by box 50, the processed initial substance 110 thus produced can be used in a subsequent soluble fiber process or a viscose fiber process, wherein the former is described in detail below.

Furthermore, it is described how, according to an embodiment of the invention, a regenerated shaped body 102 can be produced from cellulose based on a starting substance 110 containing cellulose. For this purpose, the starting substance 110 is fed to a device (100, see FIG. 3) for carrying out a soluble fiber process. First, the treated starting substance 110 is optionally prepared (step 62), for example cleaned or comminuted.

It is also possible (see box 64) to use the cellulose-containing starting substance 110 together with other cellulose-containing materials for a subsequent soluble fiber process. The starting substance 110 can thus be mixed with a further starting substance, which contains cellulose and at least one synthetic plastic, see box 64. This further starting substance fed in has a synthetic plastic ratio that differs from the synthetic plastic ratio in the starting substance 110. The production of the regenerated cellulose-based shaped body can now be carried out based on the starting substance 110 and the further starting substance, so that the regenerated cellulose-based shaped body 102 contains a predetermined synthetic plastic ratio. Alternatively or in addition, the further starting substance can also have, for example, residues from clothing production.

啉-N-氧化物(NMMO))中的直接溶解68有利地可以在沒有化學預處理的情況下進行。更準確地說，機械粉碎的(且視需要混合的)初始物質110尤其可以在沒有化學提純且沒有調節黏度的情況下直接轉移到溶液中。以此方式可以異常簡單和快速且環保地進行製造或再循環方法。 Directly after preparation 62 or directly after mixing 64, the (pure or mixed) starting material 110 is dissolved in a further solvent 116 (e.g. a tertiary amine oxide such as N-methyl

The direct dissolution 68 in morphine-N-oxide (NMMO) can advantageously be carried out without chemical pretreatment. More precisely, the mechanically comminuted (and optionally mixed) starting substance 110 can be transferred directly into the solution, in particular without chemical purification and without viscosity adjustment. In this way, the production or recycling method can be carried out very simply and quickly and in an environmentally friendly manner.

Alternatively, after the preparation 62 (or after the mixing 64) and before the dissolution 68, the method can have an optional chemical purification 66 of the starting substance 110. Such an optional purification 66 can, for example, have the step of at least partially removing the dye by bleaching. It is thus possible to completely or partially decolorize the starting substance 110 before the subsequent dissolution 68 of the starting substance 110 in the solvent 116, for example in order to produce a white or gray shaped body 102. Alternatively or in addition, it is also possible to at least partially exclude crosslinking agents that crosslink the fibers of the starting substance 110 within the scope of the optional chemical purification 66 of the starting substance 110 (before or after its dissolution 68). In applications where such crosslinking agents are present between the fibers of the starting material 110, the starting material 110 can be completely or partially freed of these crosslinking agents, for example by means of an alkaline or acidic pretreatment. This additionally improves the solubility of the starting material 110. With the aid of purification 66, at least a portion of the synthetic plastic can be removed as required (if this is desired). For example, the proportion of synthetic plastic in the produced shaped body 102 can be adjusted or influenced in this way.

After dissolving 68 the initial substance 110 in a solvent (preferably NMMO), the resulting dissolved fiber spinning solution 104 can be extruded through one or more spinning nozzles, thereby producing yarns or filaments of honey-like viscosity (see box 70, which relates to such spinning).

During and/or after the falling of these yarns or filaments, they are effectively reacted with the aqueous environment and thus diluted. The concentration of the solvent 116 of the yarns or filaments is thus reduced in the water mist or aqueous liquid bath to such an extent that the dissolved fiber spinning solution is converted into a solid phase formed by cellulose filaments. In other words, precipitation, settling or solidification of the cellulose filaments occurs, see the reference numeral 72 in the attached figure. Thus, a preform of the formed body 102 is obtained.

In addition, the method may have: the precipitated soluble fiber-cellulose is subsequently processed 74 to obtain the formed body 102 from the preform of the formed body 102. Such subsequent processing may include, for example, drying, impregnation and/or reshaping the obtained monofilaments into the final formed body 102. For example, the formed body 102 can be processed into fibers, films, fabrics, non-woven fabrics, spheres, porous sponges or beads by the described manufacturing method and then sent to another use process (see the reference numeral 76 in the figure).

Advantageously, the cellulose and, if necessary, the synthetic plastics of the shaped body 102 can be recovered after use by carrying out a further method (see box 90) corresponding to the method steps between the reference numerals 50 and 74 in the figure. Alternatively, the cellulose and, if necessary, the further synthetic plastics of the shaped body 102 can be recovered in another method, for example a viscose fiber method.

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 100 for providing a processed starting substance 110 with cellulose and for producing a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body 102 based on the starting substance 110 by means of a soluble fiber method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which has already been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 .

啉-N-氧化物(NMMO))轉化為作為成形體102的纖維素纖維108。借助於裝置100可以實施溶解性纖維方法。以此方式可以例如以離散的長度來製造基本上環狀的單絲或纖維素纖維108或者基本上環狀的單絲和纖維素纖維108的混合物作為成形體102。提供了分別具有一個或多個開口126(也可以稱為紡絲孔)的多個噴頭，以便將溶解性纖維紡絲溶液104擠出。 That is, FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 100 for producing a shaped body 102 having cellulose according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which can be produced, for example, in the form of a non-woven fabric (non-woven fabric) as a fiber, a film, a sphere, a cloth fabric, a sponge or in the form of beads or sheets. According to FIG. 3 , the shaped body 102 is produced directly from a spinning solution 104. The spinning solution is solidified by means of a coagulation fluid 106 (especially water) and/or a coagulation bath 191 (for example a water bath, optionally with a tertiary amine oxide, for example N-methyl

The device 100 is used to convert a cellulose fiber 108 into a shaped body 102. The soluble fiber method can be implemented by means of the device 100. In this way, for example, substantially annular monofilaments or cellulose fibers 108 or a mixture of substantially annular monofilaments and cellulose fibers 108 can be produced in discrete lengths as a shaped body 102. A plurality of nozzles each having one or more openings 126 (also referred to as spinning holes) are provided to extrude the soluble fiber spinning solution 104.

As can be seen from FIG. 3 , the treated initial substance 110 with cellulose can be fed to the soluble fiber process 80 via the metering device 113 to the storage tank 114 . The initial substance 110 is the treated initial substance 110 obtained in the process 50 as described above in FIG. 1 .

For this purpose, a starting substance 101 with cellulose, i.e. old textile, is fed into a treatment process (see 10). The treatment (see box 20) comprises a number of steps, which include: i) a cooking process 115, ii) individualizing 30 the cellulose fibers of the starting substance 101 so that essentially individual fibers are present (the individualizing 30 can also be combined with the cooking process 115), iii) shortening (cutting) 40 the individualized fibers so as to achieve a predetermined fiber length distribution, and iv) selectively separating cellulose fibers that do not correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution and/or separating non-cellulose type fibers (e.g. synthetic fibers). After the treatment process 20, a processed starting substance 110 containing cellulose is provided (see reference numeral 50 in the attached figure). These processed starting substances containing cellulose 110 are present, for example, as a slurry consisting of individualized cellulose fibers. These fibers again have a predetermined fiber length distribution.

According to one embodiment, the water input in the cellulose-based starting substance 110 can be carried out by means of a solvent 116 (especially NMMO) which is described in detail below. The cellulose-based starting substance 110 itself can also already contain a certain residual moisture (dry pulp, for example, usually has a residual moisture of 5% to 8% by weight). In particular, according to the described embodiment, the starting substance 110 can be added directly to the mixture formed by water and solvent 116 without pre-wetting. The optional water container 112 shown in FIG. 3 can then be omitted.

According to an alternative embodiment, the starting substance 110 with cellulose can be additionally moistened in order to thereby provide moist cellulose. For this purpose, water can be fed from an optional water container 112 via a metering device 113 into a tank 114. The metering device 113 can thus controllably feed adjustable relative amounts of water and starting substance 110 into the tank 114 by means of a control unit 140.

啉-N-氧化物(NMMO)或者溶劑116的水性化合物、例如NMMO在水中的76%的溶液。 溶劑116的濃度可以在濃縮裝置118中藉由添加純溶劑或水來調節。溶劑116然後可以與具有可限定的相對量的初始物質110在混合單元119中混合。也可以借助於控制單元140來控制混合單元119。由此將具有纖維素之初始物質110溶解裝置120中以可調節的相對量溶解在濃縮的溶劑116中，由此獲得溶解性纖維紡絲溶液104。可以如熟悉該項技術者已知地來適當地設定在溶解性纖維方法之後初始物質110、水和溶劑116等成分在紡絲溶液104中用於製造纖維素型再生成形體的相對濃度範圍(也稱為紡絲窗口)。 The solvent container contains a suitable solvent 116, preferably a tertiary amine oxidizing agent such as N-methyl

In the embodiment of the present invention, an aqueous compound of morphine-N-oxide (NMMO) or a solvent 116, for example a 76% solution of NMMO in water, is prepared. The concentration of the solvent 116 can be adjusted in a concentration device 118 by adding a pure solvent or water. The solvent 116 can then be mixed with an initial substance 110 having a definable relative amount in a mixing unit 119. The mixing unit 119 can also be controlled by means of a control unit 140. Thus, the initial substance 110 having cellulose is dissolved in a concentrated solvent 116 in an adjustable relative amount in a dissolving device 120, thereby obtaining a soluble fiber spinning solution 104. The relative concentration range (also referred to as the spinning window) of the components of the starting material 110, water and solvent 116 in the spinning solution 104 for producing the cellulose-based regenerated shaped body after the soluble fiber process can be appropriately set as known to those skilled in the art.

The soluble fiber spinning solution 104 is fed into a fiber production apparatus 124 (which may be formed with a plurality of nozzle bars or injectors 122).

When the soluble fiber spinning solution 104 is directed through the opening 126 of the ejector 122, the spinning solution is divided into a plurality of parallel yarns formed of the soluble fiber spinning solution 104. The described process leads to the transformation of the soluble fiber spinning solution 104 into yarns of increased length and thinness, the characteristics of which can be adjusted as follows: controlled by the control unit 140 by correspondingly adjusting the process conditions. The soluble fiber spinning solution 104 can be accelerated as needed on its way from the opening 126 to the fiber receiving unit 132.

As the soluble fiber spinning solution 104 has passed through the ejector 122 and moves further downward, the long, thin strands of the soluble fiber spinning solution 104 interact with the solidifying fluid 106.

Upon interaction with the solidifying fluid 106 (e.g., water), the solvent concentration of the soluble fiber spinning solution 104 is reduced, causing the cellulose of the initial substance 110 to solidify or precipitate at least partially as long and thin cellulose fibers 108 (these cellulose fibers may always still contain residues of solvent and water).

During or after the initial formation of individual cellulose fibers 108 from the extruded soluble fiber spinning solution 104, the cellulose fibers 108 are received at the fiber receiving unit 132. The cellulose fibers 108 can be immersed in a coagulation bath 191 (e.g., a water bath, optionally with a solvent such as NMMO) shown in FIG. 3 and can complete their precipitation while interacting with the liquid of the coagulation bath 191. Depending on the solidification process conditions, the cellulose may form cellulose fibers 108 (as shown, where the cellulose fibers 108 may be mutually melted ("blended") as a single substance or as a whole or may exist as separate cellulose fibers 108) or may form a cellulose film or thin film at the fiber receiving unit 132 (not shown in FIG. 3).

That is, the cellulose fiber 108 is extruded from the spinning nozzle of the ejector 122 and guided through a spinning bath or coagulation bath 191 (e.g., containing water and a low concentration of NMMO for precipitation/coagulation), where the cellulose fiber 108 is guided in the coagulation bath 191 around corresponding deflection rollers 193 and is fed outside the coagulation bath 191 into an extraction guide 195. The extraction guide 195 is responsible for further transport and subsequent stretching of the cellulose fiber 108 to achieve the desired fiber density. After the wire guide 195 has been extracted, the fiber bundle formed from the cellulose fibers 108 is cleaned in the cleaning unit 180, refined if appropriate and finally cut (not shown).

Although this is not shown in FIG. 3 , the solvent 116 of the soluble fiber spinning solution 104, which has been removed from the cellulose fibers 108 during solidification and subsequent washing in the washing unit 180, can be at least partially recovered or recycled and transferred again to the storage tank 114 in a subsequent cycle.

During transport along the fiber receiving unit 132, the shaped body 102, here in the form of cellulose fibers 108, can be cleaned by means of a cleaning unit 180 by feeding a cleaning liquid for removing solvent residues into the cleaning unit. The shaped body 102 can then be dried.

The shaped body 102 can also be subjected to post-treatment, see the schematically shown post-treatment unit 134. Such post-treatment can include, for example: hydroentanglement, needle treatment, impregnation, steam treatment with steam fed at low pressure and/or calendering, etc.

The fiber receiving unit 132 can feed the forming body 102 to a take-up device 136, where the forming body 102 can be taken up. The forming body 102 can then be fed as a roll product to an entity that manufactures products such as wipes or textiles based on the forming body 102.

Due to the predetermined fiber length distribution, the treated cellulose-containing starting material 110 can be easily approached and wetted by the reaction medium during the production of the spinning material. In addition, due to the predetermined favorable fiber length distribution, insoluble residues are avoided during the further processing of the spinning material.

FIG. 4 shows a cellulose fiber 200 manufactured by means of a soluble fiber method in cross section. The cellulose fiber 200 manufactured by means of a soluble fiber method has a smooth round outer surface 202 and is filled with cellulose material uniformly and without macropores. Therefore, a person skilled in the art can clearly distinguish it from the cellulose fiber manufactured by means of a viscose fiber method (see the reference numeral 204 in FIG. 5 ) and the cellulose fiber from a cotton plant (see the reference numeral 206 in FIG. 6 ).

5 shows a cross-section of a cellulose fiber 204 manufactured by means of a viscose fiber method. The cellulose fiber 204 is flocculent and has a plurality of arc-shaped structures 208 along its outer periphery.

Figure 6 shows a natural cellulose fiber 206 from a cotton plant in cross section. The cellulose fiber 206 is kidney-shaped and has a cavity 210 (as a completely surrounded space) inside that is free of material.

By means of the obvious geometrical shape or structural differences of the cellulose according to FIGS. 4 to 6 , a person skilled in the art can unambiguously determine, for example under a microscope, whether the cellulose fibers are produced by means of a soluble fiber process, by means of a viscose fiber process or are formed naturally in the cotton plant.

It should be noted that "having" does not exclude other elements or steps and "one/a kind" does not exclude the plural. It should also be noted that the features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other above embodiments. The figure markings in the scope of the patent application should not be regarded as limiting.

The above-mentioned embodiments at least include the following components.

Composition 1: A method for providing a treated cellulose-containing starting material (110), in particular a starting material for forming a cellulose-type shaped body (102), in particular a regenerated cellulose-type shaped body, wherein the method comprises the following steps: feeding a cellulose-containing starting material (101), the starting material having cellulose-type fibers; treating (20) the cellulose-containing starting material (101) to obtain a treated cellulose-containing starting material (110), so that the cellulose fibers of the treated cellulose-containing starting material (110) have a predetermined fiber length distribution.

Component 2: The method as described in Component 1, wherein the starting material (101) containing cellulose completely or partially contains residues from clothing manufacturing and/or old clothing.

Composition 3: A method as described in Composition 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined fiber length distribution has a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, and further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

Configuration 4: A method as described in any of the above configurations, wherein the treatment (20) further comprises the following step: singulating (30) the initial substance (101) containing cellulose so that there are individual cellulose fibers, in particular substantially only individual cellulose fibers.

Component 5: A method as described in any of the above components, wherein the treatment (20) further comprises the following steps: shortening (40), in particular cutting, the cellulose fibers, in particular the individualized cellulose fibers, to obtain the predetermined fiber length distribution; and/or selectively separating (41), in particular mechanically and/or chemically separating, the cellulose fibers, in particular the individualized cellulose fibers, which do not correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution.

Configuration 6: A method as described in any of the above configurations, wherein the initial substance (101) containing cellulose contains non-cellulose foreign matter, in particular synthetic fibers, and wherein the treatment (20) further comprises the following steps: mechanically separating at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter (52); and/or chemically separating at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter (51).

Configuration 7: A method as described in any of the above configurations, wherein the treatment (20) further comprises the following step: performing a cooking process (15), in particular when using an alkaline cooking solution, wherein the cooking process (15) is particularly performed such that the cellulose fibers are at least partially singulated and/or the cellulose fibers of the treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose substantially have the predetermined fiber length distribution.

Composition 8: A method as described in any of the above compositions, wherein the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length of less than 0.2 mm of 11% or less, in particular 8% or less, further in particular 5% or less.

Composition 9: A method as described in any of the above compositions, wherein the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length in the range of 2 to 3.5 mm of 17.5% or less, in particular 12.5% or less, further in particular 10% or less.

Composition 10: A method as described in any of the above compositions, wherein the predetermined fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length greater than 3.5 mm of 12.5% or less, in particular 9% or less, further in particular 6% or less.

Composition 11: A method for producing a cellulose-based shaped body (102), in particular a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body, comprising the following steps: providing (50) a treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as in any of the above claims; and forming (80) the cellulose-based shaped body (102) from the treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose.

Composition 12: A method as described in composition 11, wherein the formation (80) of the especially regenerated cellulose-based shaped body (102) from the treated cellulose-containing initial substance (110) has a method selected from the group consisting of: a soluble fiber method, a viscose fiber method, especially a urethane method or a cold alkali method, a papermaking method.

Composition 13: A method as described in composition 11 or 12, wherein the especially regenerated cellulose-based shaped body (102) is selected from the group consisting of: monofilaments, fibers, foils, sponges, microspheres, beads, pulp materials.

Composition 14: A processed initial substance (110) containing cellulose, which is used to produce a cellulose-type shaped body (102), wherein the processed initial substance (110) containing cellulose has a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, and further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

Component 15: Use of treated old textiles for the manufacture of cellulose-based shaped articles (102), wherein the old textiles have a length-weighted average fiber length in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, in particular 0.9 to 1.75 mm, further in particular 1.0 to 1.5 mm.

10: Crushing

15: Steaming process, steaming

20: Processing, processing process

30: Solitary

31: Separation steps, chemical separation

32: Separation steps, mechanical separation

40: Fiber truncated

41: Separation

50: Treatment methods

56: Cleaning steps

57: Bleaching process

80: Soluble fiber method

90: Recycle

101: Initial material, old textiles

102: Formed body

110: Initial substance

Claims (17)

A processed initial substance (110) containing cellulose is used to manufacture a cellulose-type shaped body (102), wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose has a predetermined fiber length distribution of 0.75 to 2.5 mm, wherein the processed initial substance (110) containing cellulose is manufactured by the following steps: feeding the initial substance (110) containing cellulose into a 1), the initial substance having cellulose-type fibers; treating (20) the initial substance having cellulose (101) to obtain a treated initial substance having cellulose (110), so that the cellulose fibers of the treated initial substance having cellulose (110) have the predetermined fiber length distribution; wherein the manufacturing further comprises one of the following steps: wherein the fiber having The method comprises the steps of: preparing a starting substance (101) containing cellulose which completely or partially contains residues from clothing manufacturing and/or old clothing; singulating (30) the starting substance (101) containing cellulose so that individual cellulose fibers exist; shortening (40) the cellulose fibers so as to obtain the predetermined fiber length distribution; selecting the cellulose fibers which do not correspond to the predetermined fiber length distribution; selectively separate (41); wherein the initial substance (101) containing cellulose contains non-cellulose foreign matter, and wherein the treatment (20) further comprises the following steps: mechanically separating at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter (52); and/or chemically separating at least a portion of the non-cellulose foreign matter (51); and performing a cooking process (15). The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose has a predetermined fiber length distribution of 0.75 to 2.5 mm. The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 2, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose has a predetermined fiber length distribution of 1.0 to 1.5 mm. The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose comprises treated old textiles. The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose contains individual cellulose fibers. The treated cellulose-containing initial substance (110) as described in claim 5, wherein the cellulose-containing initial substance (110) only contains individual cellulose fibers. The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose contains non-cellulose foreign substances. The treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose as described in claim 7, wherein the initial substance (110) containing cellulose contains synthetic fiber. The treated initial substance (110) having cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length of less than 0.2 mm of not more than 11%. The treated initial substance (110) having cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length in the range of 2 to 3.5 mm of not more than 17.5%. The treated initial substance (110) having cellulose as described in claim 1, wherein the fiber length distribution has a proportion of fibers having a length greater than 3.5 mm of not more than 12.5%. A method of using a processed cellulose-containing starting material (110) as described in claim 1, wherein the starting material is used to manufacture a cellulose-based shaped body (102). A cellulose-based shaped body (102) is manufactured from a processed cellulose-containing starting material (110) as described in claim 1. The cellulose-based shaped body (102) as described in claim 13, wherein the cellulose-based shaped body (102) is a regenerated cellulose-based shaped body (102). The cellulose-based formed body (102) as described in claim 13, wherein the cellulose-based formed body (102) is selected from the group consisting of: monofilaments, fibers, foils, sponges, microspheres, beads, and pulp materials. The cellulose-based shaped body (102) as described in claim 13 is manufactured by the following steps: providing (50) the treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose; and forming (80) the cellulose-based shaped body (102) from the treated initial substance (110) containing cellulose. The cellulose-based formed body (102) as described in claim 16, wherein the formation further comprises: a soluble fiber method, a viscose fiber method, and a papermaking method.

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